The majority of Ontarians disapprove of the way Premier Kathleen Wynne is doing her job, according to a Mainstreet Research/Postmedia poll.

Of those polled, only 29% approved of Wynne’s performance, 60% disapproved and 11% weren’t sure — giving the high-profile Premier an approval rating of minus-31.

Quito Maggi, president of Mainstreet Research, said it’s not unusual for the head of a government to show low approval ratings — especially early in a mandate — when tough decisions are typically made.

“I didn’t find it surprisingly low having done approvals in other provinces,” Maggi said. “It depends on who you compare it to. If you compare Kathleen Wynne’s approval number to (Saskatchewan Premier) Brad Wall, it’s abysmally low. If you compare her approval numbers to say Greg Selinger in Manitoba, she’s a rock star.”

Popular Wynne proposals like more infrastructure and beer and wine in grocery stores are being countered by the highly unpopular Hydro One sell off and even old Liberal scandals like the gas plants cancellations, he said.

Overall, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party was the choice of 36% of voters polled, the Ontario Liberals were in second place with 33% support and the New Democratic Party were third with 26%.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath’s approval number was the highest of the three main leaders with 43% approval, 26% disapproval and 31% not sure for a plus-17 overall approval rating.

“I find her numbers the most interesting — she has the highest plus-minus number — surprising in that she really hasn’t done much,” Maggi said. “It doesn’t seem to make sense but maybe doing nothing, you’re not alienating any voters ... and perhaps ‘silence is golden’ is appropriate for this particular scenario.”

When asked about PC Leader Patrick Brown’s performance, 32% of those polled approved, 26% disapproved with an overall rate of plus-six.

Most people — 42% — still don’t have an opinion on Brown, the poll revealed.

“That should be a bit of a cautionary tale for the PCs. They better introduce Patrick Brown to Ontario before the other parties do,” Maggi said. “People have tried to paint him in different ways, as a radical right-winger with pretty extreme views.”

Brown needs to continue shying away from the social issues and focus on jobs, the economy and taxes, he said.

Although the Tories did take the riding of Whitby-Oshawa in a byelection win earlier this month, their overall poll numbers are down four points, Maggi said.

Despite Wynne’s numbers, her party remains particularly strong in Toronto and in the Ottawa region where her plan to improve transit resonates with voters, he said.

“Although the 905 looks statistically tied, the reality is there are two 905s,” Maggi said. “It’s basically Peel Region — Mississauga and Brampton — where the Liberals have a lot of strength and the rest of the 905 the Conservatives have more strength.”

Mainstreet Research polled 2,623 Ontarians by phone and cellphone on Feb. 16, and the results are considered accurate within 1.9%, 19 times out of 20.